On the campaign trail last year, President Obama laid out several specific promises for health care — both during the Democratic primaries and during the general election campaign. And in his first year in office, President Obama has made comprehensive health care reform the centerpiece of his domestic agenda.

But what happened to those promises?

1. No Individual Mandate (Long gone ……), 2. Complete Transparency – Candidate Obama promised that health care deliberations with Congress and special interests would be transparent to the extreme. (Democrats have now voted against posting the final bill along with the CBO cost estimate for 72 hours before a final vote). 3. Enable the Government to Directly Negotiate Drug Prices. 4. Allow Drug Importation, Drug prices and importation went out the window when Obama cut a “bcak room dela” with drug makers for cash that is being used to run the current “pro-reform” commercials. 5. Lower Premiums by $2,500 for a Family of Four, a real laugher –

CBS states the following – “If you’ve got health insurance through your employer, you can keep your health insurance, keep your choice of doctor, keep your plan,” Mr. Obama said in his Oct. 15, 2008 debate against McCain. “The only thing we’re going to try to do is lower costs so that those cost savings are passed onto you. And we estimate we can cut the average family’s premium by about $2,500 per year.” “recent studies also dispute whether Mr. Obama’s cost saving mechanisms will work.”, “Although different types of preventive care have different effects on spending, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall,” CBO Director Doug Elmendorf,

“the health care legislation coming out of the Senate Finance Committee could even actually result in higher premiums for customers — the insurance industry is threatening that the $6 billion industry-wide fee and other taxes Sen. Baucus has proposed will be passed on to consumers.” (citing the NY Times – another conservative publication – http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/health/policy/17insure.html?_r=1

More Unknowns

consumers will face what would amount to a tax on their health benefits. During the campaign, Mr. Obama adamantly opposed taxing health care benefits, but Baucus’ bill in the Senate would impose a tax on insurers for plans worth more than $8,000. The president endorsed this proposal during his speech to a joint session of Congress this month, even though nonpartisan analysis suggests the intent of the tax is to shift people to cheaper plans. (Citing a Politico article here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27368.html#ixzz0Rhe7a1QJ )

To these 5 broken promises you can add: 6). The plan will be deficit neutral, 7). That you can keep your current plan – read the Politico article which admits that the intended result is to “shift” those with “comprehensive”, “cadillac plans” to “cheaper” plans with the “saved” money be shifted to those currently without coverage, 8) there will be no cuts in medicare (say good bye to “Medicare Advantage”, it won’t be cut – it will be eliminated), 9). Federal Funding of Abortion – a dozen amendments have been offerred specifically stating that prohibition of Federal Funding of abortion will be extended to this reform – the Dems have voted down each and every amendment.